During the early 1950s, they called Atlantic Records, “The house that RUTH built”, because Ruth Brown had scored so many consecutive top 10 and #1 hit records for the label. She’s still rocking to this day. Catch some of her greatest 50s sides this week on Harlem: the soul that came before Rock n’ Roll.

This week, HARLEM welcomes one of the underrated, true innovators of 50s R&B…;

Hank Ballard & The Midnighters

Hank Ballard got his big break in 1953 when he joined a local Detroit group called The Royals. Almost immediately, they changed their name to The Midnighters so they wouldn’t be confused with The Five Royales, another popular R&B; group of the day. The Midnighters would go on to have many #1 R&B; records including the extremely influential, dirty and controversial “Work With Me Annie” from 1954. This week Matt The Cat digs up some of The Midnighters most important sides and gives ’em a spin on the show that solutes early 50s rhythm and blues; HARLEM.